The Bartender
by The Girl With The Silly Smile
Summary: I don't think it was the sensation of being intoxicated that I loved so much. Or even the various girls in my bed every night. No, I think it was more likely this bar. Or, more appropriately, the bartender. R&R.
1. The Bartender

_**The Bartender**_

* * *

Chapter One

* * *

Fang

* * *

I don't think it was the sensation of being intoxicated that I loved so much. Or even the various girls in my bed every night. No, I think it was more likely this bar. Or, more appropriately, the bartender.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I asked, raising my gaze from my empty beer bottle to the gorgeous blonde in front of me.

"I asked if you wanted another beer," she repeated herself, taking my empty and tossing it beneath the bar into a recycling bin.

I nodded, glancing around me at the smoky bar I loved so much.

The blonde turned around and bent down to pick out another beer from a refrigerator, her shirt that already showed part of the fierce metal bar poking through her naval riding up further on her stomach.

She slid the bottle across the bar at me and watched as I popped it open.

"How many is this?" I asked as I sipped the first drops from the now open bottle.

"That would be three, which means you're probably buzzed enough to tell me what her name is," she replied, sopping up a spilled drink with a ratty towel.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I took another sip of my beer as I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Listen, I've seen many a guy come in here with that exact same look on their face. That pained, 'I don't want to live anymore' look, and every time it was because of a girl. Their girlfriend cheated, their girlfriend left them, their girlfriend died. Now, tell me, lover-boy, which is it?" she asked through soft peals of laughter, tossing the damp towel to her co-worker, Ella, before returning her attention to me.

She leaned her elbows on the bar and looked at me, awaiting my answer.

"Since you're so persistent, I'll tell you. She's just a girl who I've known since the eighth grade and I've always had feelings for her. But she's been dating my brother for three years, and I can't seem to get it off my mind. Nevermind the fact that my brother isn't even in this country at the moment."

"Fang, you know as well as I do that I can't comment on that. I love your brother more than anything. I would do absolutely anything for that man. But on the other hand, I also would do anything for you. With the exception of a few things." she added at the end, laughing.

"Sorry, I just can't get it out of my head. And what are those 'few things'?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, taking another sip of my drink.

"Sleep with you to cheer you up and relieve your astronomical tab here. Which is starting to get very high, so unless you recently won the lottery and I didn't know, maybe you should stop drinking."

"Yeah, sleeping with me would probably be bad considering you're in a _very _committed relationship with an army man. Though I don't think bad is the right word. Maybe, wrong. Because it wouldn't be bad, per say." I quipped, smiling deviously when I saw the expression on her face.

"Oh, shut up. I love Iggy, and you know that. Quit making jokes like that to me." my brother's girlfriend snapped, genuinely looking like she wanted to rip my throat out.

"Yeah, but you don't know how much it kills me to see you with him. Holding you and kissing you. It hurts, badly. Not to mention that you two got together just after I told you I was in love with you. Think about that, Maximum."

I pulled my wallet out from my back pocket and dropped the money I owed for my many drinks, plus a tip for my 'wonderful' bartender.

Max slid her tip into her pocket and put the rest of the money in a locked black box under the bar.

"And also think about this: you want me to stop drinking, but yet I come in here, and you're always my bartender, correct?" she nodded. "Well, I tip you very well because a wise woman once told me that if you take care of your bar tender, she will take care of you. So, if you add up how much I tip you, I pretty much pay your rent."

"Fang, you've paid my rent on a number of occasions, and not by your tips. And I thank you for that, but you need to stop drinking."

Just as I was heading out the door, I felt a chilly hand on my shoulder; Max's hand.

"I'll be right back, Ella!" she called over her shoulder to her co-worker, who nodded and let her go.

Max slipped her hand into mine and pulled me outside to her car. Though Max hated that I drank do often, when she felt that it was necessary, she drove me home to make sure I didn't kill myself—or anyone else, for that matter.

Max lifted me slightly into her Jeep and closed the door before walking around her car to the driver's side.

"How many times this week is this that I've driven you home? Twice? Three times?" Max asked, sarcasm dripping in her voice as she began to drive to my apartment.

"Twice." I replied, laying my pounding head on the cold glass window, trying to drown out Max's lecturing.

I must've zoned out because the next thing I knew, Max was opening the car door and helping me out, wrapping her arm around my torso.

Thank God my apartment was on the first floor of the building because if it wasn't, Max wouldn't be so generous about driving me home all the time.

Max pulled the spare key to my apartment that I'd given her a while back out of her boot and unlocked the door, walking us inside before kicking it shut and dragging me to my room.

Max dropped her arm from around me and pushed me roughly backward so I landed on my bed.

"I mean, Max, I like it a little rough, but you might wanna calm down a little." I said, cockily.

Max rolled her eyes and walked over to my bedside table, opening the little drawer it had.

I knew what she was looking for.

Every time she drove me home, she'd always try and find 'em. But they were never in the same place. Well, with the exception of that particular night.

"Yet another thing you need to quit." Max muttered, almost to herself, holding up my pack of cigarettes and the lighter she'd gotten me for my eighteenth birthday.

Max shoved my cigs and lighter into her shirt before turning back to glare at me.

"Go to sleep. I'll come back in the morning to make sure you're not dead."

"Well, I can't very well do that if I'm still fully dressed, can I?"

I was partially joking when I said that. Part of me was joking to make her mad, but another part of me was dead serious.

"You can. And you will. I don't want to see you at the bar tomorrow. And if I do, I'll call security."

I may have been joking, but she sure as hell wasn't.

"Max, going to the bar is my excuse to see you."

"You have my number. You can see me whenever you want, just not when you're drunk at a bar."

I stood up from the bed, almost toppling over from how much my head was pounding before I righted myself.

A mildly painful silence encased us before I decided to break it.

"I wasn't kidding about not wanting to go to sleep in my clothes."

Again, Max rolled her eyes. But to my surprise, Max came over to me and grasped onto the hem of my shirt.

"Arms up." Max whispered, starting to drag my shirt up my body.

As for my body, I had nothing to be ashamed of, so I wasn't exactly sure why Max looked like she wanted to kill me.

After she got my shirt off and tossed it into my dirty clothes hamper, she knelt down to undo the button and zipper on my jeans.

Max's tiny fingers were about as cold as ice as she slid my jeans down my legs.

I stepped out of my pants and watched Max toss them into my hamper.

"Now, Mr. Scott, go to sleep. And in the morning, take two Ibuprofen and drink a lot of water. Goodnight." Max said, stiffly.

Max turned around and rushed out of my room and apartment. But not before I noticed two small Chinese symbols on the inside of her right wrist.

* * *

Hey, everyone! Okay, so I know I've been missing in action for about a month now, and I'm so sorry for that! I really am. And I'm sorry, but I'll be going away for eleven days starting on **July 5th. **I'm really sorry about being so inactive with my account, but to be honest, I really have had horrible writer's block. And I know I'm making excuses, but I hope you all can forgive me!

Also, as always, I hope you enjoyed this new addition to my collection of Fanfictions, and will review. I will try and update this story and _Sing for the Moments _before I leave!

I'm going to be taking a six hour plane flight across an ocean, so wish me luck! I'm kind of scared. I haven't been on a plane in a few years and I'm kind of worried. But I'm sure everything will go just as it should.

Thank you all for reading and I love you all!

xoxo,

K.J the Traveler.


	2. Mr Scott

_**The Bartender**_

* * *

Chapter Two

* * *

Max

* * *

"He made you take off his pants? Isn't that sexual harassment?" Ella asked, laughing between words as she and I cleaned up the bar before closing at four in the morning.

"He didn't make me. I helped him out, Ells. You make it seem like he was trying to force me in bed with him," I corrected as I wiped down the bar and Ella collected bottles and cups from around the room.

"Sometimes, it sounds like he is, Max. But I suppose you know Fang better than I do, so I can't really say."

"Ella, I've known Fang most of my life. He really does have a heart, he's just bad at showing how much he really cares about people. I would be too if I'd gone through half of the stuff he has," I defended Fang as I tossed the towel I'd been using to wipe down the bar into a small hamper beneath the bar.

"Like I said, you know him better than I do," was all Ella replied.

"Lock up when you're done. I'm going to go check on Fang."

Ella nodded, and without saying a word to me, turned toward our boss' office and headed inside, probably to discuss the bar's income of the night, as she always did.

Before leaving the bar, I knelt down underneath the bar to grab my tips and car keys, as I did every night.

It took about five minutes for me to get to Fang's apartment building without any traffic, considering it was four in the morning.

When I got to Fang's apartment, I pulled the spare key out of my pocket and unlocked his door, tossing the key onto a table by the aforementioned door before I headed across the apartment to Fang's bedroom door.

I was happy to see that when I opened the door, Fang was sound asleep and _alone_. That man had a tendency to pick up random women, regardless of whether or not I'd brought him home that night. After all, his speed dials on his phone from numbers two to six were all women he'd slept with.

Fang looked so peaceful in his sleep; His ebony colored hair was draping down over his face in sweaty clumps, and his lips were slightly curled up into a smile as he slept.

Apparently, Fang hadn't bothered to cover himself up wit his comforter that probably hadn't been washed in a month, so I grabbed a throw blanket from a chair in the corner of the room that I'd given him a while back and draped it over his body, being careful not to wake him.

Taking care of Fang was something like my second job. He lived by himself, without anyone, for most of the time and therefore, I felt it necessary to make sure he ate and was taking care of himself like he should—which he didn't.

Also before heading back out to the living room, I tip-toed into Fang's bathroom and filled up a glass with water and took two Ibuprofen out of the medicine cabinet for him.

I scoffed when I accidentally kicked up the carpet by the sink to reveal a pair of womens' underwear hiding beneath.

"Nice, Fang. Real nice," I mumbled to myself as I carried the water and pills to Fang's bedside table.

Once I set the medicine and water on Fang's bedside table, I left his room, closing the door tightly and set off cleaning his living room and kitchen.

After work, I was usually pretty awake because I slept all day and worked at night, and therefore could probably work a lot more than I did, had the bar not closed at four.

Fang never minded when I came over and cooked for him or cleaned for him because that meant he didn't have to do it.

Fang was always like my brother and I would do virtually anything to help him. Especially when his brother, Iggy, who also happened to be my boyfriend was away. When Iggy was home, he was the one I took care of, and when he was away, I would take care of Fang.

And I'm sure you're wondering why I didn't watch over both of the Scott boys at the same time.

Well, Iggy didn't know I knew Fang. He knew nothing of mine and Fang's decade long friendship.

When I first met Iggy, I knew who he was, but he had no idea I was Fang's best friend. And when Iggy first brought me home as his girlfriend, Fang pretended not to know me, and I just went along with it.

And because of that, I hardly ever saw Fang when Iggy was home from the army, save for when the twins came into the bar together.

As soon as I finished cleaning the dishes that were left in the sink and straightening the stack of books on the coffee table, I decided I didn't think I could drive and laid down on the couch. I knew Fang wouldn't mind if I crashed on his couch, as I did it at least three times a week.

* * *

**Fang**

What I was expecting to see as soon as I woke up this morning was a pile of clothing in my hamper from last night. What I wasn't expecting to see was my brother's girlfriend sleeping on my couch.

Granted, Max slept at my house a lot because she brought me home from the bar a lot, but still, I wasn't expecting to see her curled up on my couch.

Also, by the looks of it, she had also cleaned my apartment somewhat. She had done the dishes and alphabetized the books I had out on my coffee table to read in my down time.

Laughing slightly to myself, I headed over to where Max was sleeping and knelt down next to her.

"Max? Max? Wake up, Max," I said softly as I shook her shoulder.

Max jolted awake and sat upright.

"Fang!" she yelled, running her fingers through her hair.

"I know my name, Honey," I shot back, cockily.

"Did you take the Ibuprofen I left you?" Max asked, straightening her shirt that had shifted quite a bit in her sleep, revealing most of her red bra with a black lace overlay.

"Yeah, thanks for taking suuuuuch good care of me, though I don't need it. I'm a big boy, Max," I tried to reason with her, despite how much I knew I would be screwed without Max's help.

"You and I both know damn well that you would be completely and utterly fucked without me," Max laughed, patting my shoulder with her right hand.

As quick as I could, I shot my hand out and grabbed her wrist, yanking her shirt sleeve up to her elbow and turned it so I could see the two gun drawn symbols on her wrist.

"Always," Max whispered as I pushed up the sleeve of my shirt to reveal two similar marks on my right shoulder.

"Forever," I finished.

"Fang—" Max started, unable to finish her sentence.

"We were eighteen, Max. We thought we were going to grow old together. But the 'Always & Forever' doesn't have to mean that we'd be together. It could mean that we promise to always take care of and watch over each other. I promise if you promise."

"Promise," Max smiled, spitting in her hand and holding it out to me like we used to when we were kids.

"Promise," I laughed, shooting spit into my palm and shaking hands with her.

"Sorry for just inviting myself in and crashing on your couch last night. Oh, shit! I didn't call Nudge and tell her I wouldn't be home!"

Nudge was Max's sister, for all intents and purposes. She was Max's mom's ex-husband's daughter, but Max and Nudge were still as close as can be, despite their parents not being together anymore—or for the last six years.

Max shot off the couch and stood up, running her fingers through her hair, beginning to search her surroundings for her cell phone.

"Max, you're always welcome here. I gave you a key. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't want you to use it. And considering Nudge is likely to have already put it together that you're here, my guess is that she'll be calling in about 3...2...1...," and that's when Max's phone went off.

"Hey, Nudgey. Sorry for not calling. I crashed at Fang's last night. I drove him home from the bar and crashed on his couch," Max said into the mouth side as she patted her back pockets to make sure her tips were still there.

I assume Nudge assured her that she understood and would just leave the door unlocked so Max could get back inside the townhouse they shared and get ready for work just as she always did.

Max hung up the phone and stuck it into the pocket not occupied by her tips.

"Thanks again for letting me stay, though I guess you didn't really authorize it. But it's two p.m. right now. My shift starts in an hour. I'm working a twelve hour tonight. I take back what I said about security. Drop by and visit, will ya?" Max smiled her usual, big and beautiful smile and gave me a quick hug before exiting my apartment, grabbing the key I gave her from the table by my front door that I usually dropped my mail on as she did.

"I still love you, Max." I mumbled to myself.

* * *

Sorry to leave it like that, but this is the last upload I'm going to be doing before I leave for my vacation. Sorry, but I promise to upload as soon as I get home!

I love you all sooo much and I hope you all have an amazing next two weeks and I hope you will all review!

And yes, there was a _One Tree Hill_ reference in there. First one to find it wins a sneak peak of the next chapter in a PM! (:

xoxo,

K.J


	3. Time Away From Work

_**The Bartender**_

* * *

Chapter Three

* * *

Max

* * *

"Hey, Max, looks like you've got a customer down at the end of the bar," Ella said as though she knew something I didn't, shooting her eyes toward the end of the bar I usually tended.

"What are you—," I began as I turned around, my sentence completely lost when my sight caught a man with strawberry blonde hair, wearing an Army Pride t-shirt. "Iggy!"

As fast as my feet would take me, I ran around the bar and threw my arms around my boyfriend.

Iggy stood up and turned around, winding his arms around my waist as he looked at me.

"Well, hello there, beautiful," Iggy smiled, leaning forward to place a quick kiss on my lips.

"I'm so going to hurt you! You told me you weren't going to be home until Tuesday!" I pouted, smacking his shoulder before hugging him to me tightly again.

"Technically, I told you I wouldn't see you until Tuesday. I didn't tell you when I was getting back into the area. I wanted to surprise you, and by the looks of it, I think I did," Iggy laughed, pecking my cheek with another kiss.

"I can't believe you're actually here!" I cheered, pulling him closer to me, as if to prove to myself that he was, indeed, home.

I excused myself from Iggy's hold so I could go to my boss' office and ask to be let out early so I could spend as much time as possible with Iggy before he had to leave again.

"Jeb?" I asked as I pushed my boss' door back, revealing his office, which looked nothing like any offices you'd see on TV... But then again, that may be because he owns a bar in a town so small, it's not on the map.

"Hello, Max, how are you this evening?" he asked from his desk, running his fingers through his light blonde hair.

"Very well, thanks. Look, I know I'm working, and it's incredibly unprofessional to ask something like this, but Iggy just came in, so he's home. And I was wondering—"

"You were wondering if you could take the rest of the night off to see him?"

I nodded, biting my lower lip, looking down at the black, high heeled boots I wore.

"Usually, I would say no. But because you're a great employee and you never miss work, and you are the main bartender I get compliments on for being so incredibly nice and helpful to the customers, yes, I will let you off early to spend time with Iggy. Just let Ella know you're leaving."

"Thank you so much, Jeb!" I chirped, smiling brightly before bolting out of his office and weaving my way through crowds of people.

As usual, I reached underneath the bar to grab my tips and car keys before heading over to Ella's side of the bar to let her know I was leaving.

"Ells, Jeb's letting me off early because Iggy's home. Sorry, but you'll probably get paid double for the rest of the night. I'll let you know how everything goes tomorrow," I winked and gave her a quick hug goodbye before heading back over to Iggy to drive us back home.

* * *

**Fang**

"Ella? Where's Max?" I asked once I sat down at the bar next to a woman with a skirt that was so short it could have been a belt, and a man who I could tell desperately wanted to get drunk off his ass.

Like Max said, usually guys come in because of girl problems, and clearly, that's why he was there.

"You don't know?" Ella asked, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow as she collected abandoned glasses and bottles from the bar.

"No?"

"The other Scott boy showed up tonight. Max left with him about an hour and a half ago," Ella informed, grabbing a bottle of beer from the mini fridge and slid it across the bar for me.

I popped it open on the edge of the bar and downed about a quarter of it in one go.

"You mean the brother I haven't seen for six months told his girlfriend he was home before he told me? Y'know, suddenly, I'm not in the mood to drink," I snapped, tossing the amount of money I owed for the quarter of the beer I drank onto the bar and stomped out of the bar.

Usually, if I was completely wasted like I would have been, I would have called Max and yelled at her for no reason at all, and then made her pass the phone to my brother so I could yell at him for not telling me he was home.

However, since I was _not _drunk, I knew exactly who I was going to call. And I knew she'd pick up because she always did.

"Hello?" the squeaky voice of Lissa Tanner asked from the other end of the call.

"Lissa? It's Fang. Wanna come over?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll be right over!" the girl cheered before hanging up the call.

Lissa Tanner was the girl I'd taken home with me the night I found out Max and my brother were together. And though we still slept together pretty often, she was also a friend. She knew almost as much about me as Max did and was always there if I needed something when Max was busy with Iggy.

Ten minutes later, I was back at my apartment, waiting for Lissa to show up.

When she did, it didn't take us long to get from point A to point B, if you catch what I mean.

"You know, Fang, I'm sure your brother was just excited to see Max. She is his girlfriend for Pete's sake. His girlfriend he hasn't seen in six months, mind you. I hate to be the voice of reason, but maybe you should cut him some slack. He is your brother, after all," Lissa said around the toothbrush she had in her mouth.

I rolled my eyes and reached over to my bedside table to pull out the cigarettes and lighter that I'd recently bought since mine were confiscated.

I always loved the sound the lighter made when it was used. Maybe even more than I loved the actual cigarette I was smoking.

Once Lissa was finished brushing her teeth and fixing her hair, she exited the bathroom, wearing only her under garments and one of my button-ups, before climbing back in bed with me and snuggling herself into my side.

Without another word to me, Lissa plucked the cigarette out of my mouth and took a long, slow drag of it.

"You'd think a med student would be opposed to smoking," I joked, stealing my cigarette back.

"And you'd think that a guy who preaches about how important it is to remind people how much you care about them, because one day, they might be gone, would take his own advice," Lissa retorted.

"Low blow, Lis."

What Lissa had meant when she said I should take my own advice was that I lost both of my parents when I was seventeen and I always regretted not telling them how thankful I was to have them before they went out for that Sunday Drive—their last Sunday Drive.

Furthermore, because Iggy, my only brother, was in the army and could be hurt or killed at any moment, I was always careful to remind him of the fact that I would do anything for him, if need be.

"Hey, it's true. You're completely in love with Max, you just wont admit it," Lissa reasoned.

"I love Max, yes. But I am not 'in love' with her. I do not fall in love."

"Right. You just sleep with random girls because Max won't sleep with you. No, that makes total sense. Did you ever stop to think about the fact that she's been with your brother for three years, and that she may love you both, just in different ways? I've never personally met Max, and I doubt I ever will, but you can't fault her for loving someone. Think about how this would be if the situation were reversed: Max being madly in love with you, and you being with her sister. What would you do?"

"Probably stay with her sister because clearly, I wouldn't have the same feelings as Max."

"Right. So, maybe you should just lay off Max for a little while? I'm not saying to just completely drop her like a hot potato, but I _am _saying that you saying how much you love her and wish she would break up with _your brother_ probably hurts her. You may not realize it, but in a way, you're making her choose between her boyfriend and her best friend. I know you wouldn't like it if she did that to you, so why do you do it to her?"

"Because I can't let it go that I wish she had chose me."

* * *

Hello, eveyone! (: Yes, I've returned from my two week excursion, and now I'm back to update for you all! (:

Ironically, this chapter reminds me somewhat of something that happened when my plane got in to where I live. I ran over to my parents as usual, and then got a call from my boyfriend, during which he said, "Guess what!" and then hung up. Once he hung up, he came bolting out of the bathroom that was behind me and surprised me at the airport. My mom and him had been planning to do that for about a week and I had no idea! Is that not the greatest way to surprise someone at an airport or what? (:

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed as usual, and will review.

xoxo,

K.J the Returned Traveler


	4. Secrets Always Come Out

_**The Bartender**_

* * *

Chapter Four

* * *

Max

* * *

"I love you, Max," Iggy mumbled as we laid together in my bed, curled up underneath the comforter his aunt got us for Christmas.

"I love you too," I whispered back, closing my eyes, thinking of how I could stay in that moment forever.

Unfortunately, because I'm Maximum Ride, and my luck likes to give me the shit end of the stick, I couldn't do that because my cell phone started ringing from the bedside table behind me.

"Ignore it," Iggy said, trying to hold onto my hands so I couldn't pick it up.

I pried my hands out of his and slipped out of bed, grabbing my cell phone and flicking it open without looking at the Caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Max. Listen, I need you to come pick me up. I was at the bar earlier, and then I left, but I went back and I need a ride home," Fang slurred.

I knew I shouldn't have gone to get Fang because of Iggy, but Fang _was _my best friend and I was _not _about to let him drive home drunk.

I quickly told Fang I would be there in a minute and to sit on the bench outside the bar until I got there—without mentioning his name, of course.

"Listen, Ig, I have to go pick a friend up from the bar. I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise," I told Iggy, kissing his cheek lightly before I headed over to my dresser to pick out a t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

At that point, I was only wearing a tank top and my underwear, and despite the fact that I was going to pick Fang up at a bar at three in the morning, I still wanted to look semi-presentable, especially because it was my place of work—not that I would go pick him up in my underwear, anyway.

"Okay, drive carefully," Iggy said, rolling onto his back so he could kiss my lips.

It only took about five minutes to get to the bar where, as instructed, Fang was sitting on the bench, waiting for me.

As soon as he saw my Jeep pull up, he stood up—almost toppling over as he did—and began to walk over to my car.

Before he fell and broke something, I rushed over and wrapped an arm around his torso, helping him into the passenger seat of my car.

"Thanks for doing this, Max. I know you were with Iggy and had every right not to come help me, but you did anyway, so thanks."

"Fang, I told you that if you ever needed someone to drive you home, you could call me. That will not change just because Iggy's home now. I love my boyfriend, but I'm not going to let you drive drunk," I assured him, keeping my eyes on the road as I drove.

As usual, it only took a few minutes to get to Fang's apartment, and a few to help him into the actual building.

"Max, don't leave. Please. I know Iggy's home waiting for you, but I just want a little more time with my best friend. My best friend, Max Ride. Not Max Ride, my brother's girlfriend," Fang plead, standing upright and walking into the kitchen of his apartment to grab two bottles of beer.

I nodded and dropped my keys onto the table by the door, slowly making my way toward the island Fang was leaning against, holding one of the two beers he'd taken out of the fridge.

He slid the other across the island, which I popped the cap off of and took a long swig of it.

"Why did you want me to stay?" I asked as I took a few more drinks from my bottle.

Fang didn't get to answer my question because right as he was about to, my cell phone began to ring from my back pocket, playing Vanilla Ice's song _Ice Ice Baby_.

"Really, Max, _Ice Ice Baby_?"

I rolled my eyes at Fang and flipped my phone open, neglecting to look at the Caller ID.

"Hello?" I asked into the mouth piece, taking another swig of the beer.

"Hey, Max, listen, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I think I'm just gonna head out for a little while. Maybe go visit my parents or something. That's the one and only benefit of them not being around anymore, I can visit them whenever I want," Iggy's voice said on the other end of the call.

"Okay, baby, well, I'll see you when you get back, I guess?"

"Of course. I love you."

"I love you too."

Fang rolled his eyes at that, downed the rest of his beer and chucked the bottle into the sink behind him.

I snapped my phone shut and dropped it onto the counter in front of me as I rounded the counter and came face to face with Fang.

"Listen, Mister, if you don't stop giving me dirty looks, there will be hell to pay, I promise you that," I threatened, rising up onto my tip toes so I was of equal—or somewhat equal—height with Fang.

"And if you don't step back a little I might be tempted to do something that might get me into a little trouble with my baby brother," Fang mumbled, quirking a half smile worth a million bucks.

"Well, then maybe I should step back. Or maybe I should...," I reached to my right and grabbed the hose from the sink, aiming it straight for Fang and pulling the trigger.

Fang's shirt began to soak through, and the wetter the shirt got, the angrier Fang got.

"Oh, you're gonna get it now, Ride," Fang smiled deviously, bending slightly to wrap his arms around my waist and throw me over his shoulder.

Fang carried me from the kitchen to his bedroom and plopped me down on his bed, crawling over me and winking as he attacked my sides with tickles.

"Fang! Fang! Quit it! I'm so going to neuter you!" I yelled, trying to wrestle him off of me.

"Do it, I dare you, Max," Fang taunted, continuing with his tickle torture.

* * *

Iggy

Instead of going to see my parents' grave like I planned, I decided it would be easier to see my only family left alive and then tackle talking to the ones who died when I was young, and therefore decided to go see my brother.

I still had a key from before my last departure, and used that to get inside.

As soon as I stepped through the door, it became very apparent that Fang was not alone in his room. I debated whether or not I should still stay and barge in on him, or just leave and leave him be.

However, I also noticed that the two voices from inside that closed door were a string of threats sewed together with laughter.

And I recognized that laughter—both voices.

That made my decision to open the door to find my girlfriend pinned beneath my brother on his bed, her head thrown back in laughter, his hands working on those ticklish spots on her sides that I thought only I knew about that much easier.

Apparently, I thought wrong.

See, because I'm a natural-born smart ass, I really should have come up with something better than, "What the fuck?"

Max's head shot up at hearing my voice, her eyes widening to the size of golfballs as she pushed Fang off of her.

"What the hell is this?" I yelled, waiting for the smoke to start pouring out my ears.

"I, uh, Iggy please, let me explain," Max begged, standing up and fixing her shirt, which had probably gotten messed up in her wrestling match with my brother.

* * *

Max

And again with that damn Max Ride luck.

* * *

Good morning everyone! (:

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I love you all and hope you'll review! (:

xoxo,

K.J


	5. To Max

**_The Bartender_**

* * *

Chapter Five

* * *

Max

* * *

"Don't even try it, Max. What the hell is going on here?" Iggy yelled, breathing heavily, inhaling and exhaling with his hands balled into fists.

"Nothing! I swear!" I shouted, not giving Fang a chance to defend himself.

"Doesn't look like it. For two people who don't know each other you seemed to be getting along pretty well," Iggy snapped, glaring at his brother.

"Okay, so we do know each other. I've known Max since the eighth grade and for as long, she's been my best friend. When you brought her over to introduce us to her, I pretended not to know her because I thought it would be awkward. I guess I didn't think it would come back to bite me in the ass later on," Fang confessed, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"So you've _both _been lying to me for three years?" Iggy stressed the word 'both', adding as much hatred as he could into his words. "I would have expected Fang to pull something like this because he does know how to be an asshole when he wants to be, but Max? You're my girlfriend. You're supposed to be honest with me about everything. I'll be back in the morning to get my bags. I'll find somewhere else to stay until I leave again," and with that, Iggy left, slamming Fang's bedroom door behind him.

Without caring what Fang would say or do, I dropped down onto the floor in front of his bed and laid my head in my hands, letting the tears that were free-falling from my eyes seep through my fingers.

"Max, please don't cry. He was going to find out eventually. You can't honestly tell me you thought he wouldn't," Fang reasoned, falling to his knees in front of me, lifting my head from my hands with his fingers under my chin.

"I wanted to be the one to tell him though. He didn't deserve to find out that we've been lying to him for three years like that."

"I guess he didn't. But don't you feel a little better that he knows now?"

Without answering his direct question, I asked my own, "Can I stay here tonight?"

"Wow, you never ask permission."

I rolled my eyes and stood up, kicking off my shoes as I crawled into the left side of Fang's bed. The right side was his and he never let anyone near it in fear of them stealing his cigarettes.

Fang climbed up next to me and rolled onto his side so he could look at me, his hands resting beneath his head to prop himself up.

"C'mon, Max, don't beat yourself up about this. Iggy loves you and he'll get over it. And if he doesn't, then it's his loss. You're amazing, Max, and I honestly think that if Iggy decides not to come back to you, then he's losing the best thing that ever happened to him."

I smiled and leaned over to place a gentle kiss on Fang's cheek, a silent thank you before I rolled back over and closed my eyes, finally feeling like I could sleep.

* * *

**Fang**

I always thought I'd end up with Max Ride in my bed at some point, however I wasn't expecting it to be like this. I was laying on my back with Max curled into my side with one of my arms wrapped securely around her.

From the looks of it, she was still sound asleep and I had no intention of waking her after the night she had. Max needs her sleep on a regular day or she'll threaten to bite your head off, and after a night like last night? There was no way in hell I was going to wake her up.

Max always looked peaceful in her sleep, regardless of what she had been doing the day before. Max crashed at my house quite a bit (always on the couch) and she always looked like the little kid Max I knew some years ago.

I laid with my arm around Max as she slept for about another hour before she finally stirred awake.

"Fang?" Max asked, sitting up and running her fingers through her hair like she always did as soon as she woke up.

"Morning," I smiled slightly sitting up alongside her.

"Can you please tell me I dreamed that Iggy broke up with me?"

I hesitated slightly before deciding to tell her that she wasn't dreaming, "Sorry, Max. Unfortunately that part did happen."

"Okay, second question. Why was I asleep in your bed? Did we...?"

I gave myself a little time to laugh at her question before actually replying, "No, we didn't. You practically invited yourself to stay here and crawled into my bed."

"Well, thank you for taking care of me last night."

"Max, you take care of me on a daily basis because I tend to drink too much and remember general knowledge things less. It was the least I could do. You _are _my best friend after all."

Max's lips turned up into a cute half smile before she leaned over and hugged me tightly.

"What time is it?" Max asked, digging around in the mess of bed sheets to find her cell phone, completely forgetting that I had an alarm clock on my bedside table.

"It's almost one," I replied after looking at the aforementioned clock.

"Which means I need to get going so I can get ready for work. But thank you again for letting me stay here last night."

And with that, Max rolled out of the bed and left my bedroom, closing the door behind her.

"And yet, I still love her," I mumbled to myself before falling back and covering my head with my pillow to block out the light before drifting back to sleep, this time without Max Ride next to me.

* * *

_Iggy_

"I'm serious, Iggy. Go see her."

I nodded and turned away from Max's sister/roommate, rolling my eyes as I picked up the last of my bags from the doorway by their townhouse door.

"She's not going to want to see me," I told Nudge, knowing for an absolute fact that Max wouldn't want to see me after last night.

"Yes, she will. I know my sister, and she will. Trust me."

And that conversation is how I landed myself at the bar with a bouquet of Max's favorite flowers—red roses—hidden behind my back.

However, those flowers actually never made it to Max's hands. The trashcan next to the bar, yes. Her hands, no.

Why, you ask?

Well, as soon as I stepped through the door of the bar, it became very apparent that Max was still hanging around the company that caused our breakup—My older brother, Fang.

Max was leaning with her elbows on the bar, whispering in Fang's ear, sharing a beer with him.

Max usually got a break at about eleven p.m., so she was on her break then and was 'technically' allowed to be talking rather than bar tending.

The drinking part, however, she wasn't supposed to be doing. But, hey, whatever Jeb allows, I suppose.

Apparently, Fang wasn't up to his usual tricks tonight, as he was too busy hitting on my ex-girlfriend. How do I know this? Well, the fact that he was drawing little patterns on her hand with his pointer finger and also the little part about him leaning in to kiss her kind of gave that away.

Max so rightfully declined the kiss, however, she did check the time behind her and decide that it was time to get back to work—but not without leaning forward to whisper something in Fang's ear that put a rather smug look on his face.

Wonderful.

And that's when the flowers got dumped in the trash, with the _To Max_ note still stuck to one of the stems.

* * *

Hey, everyone! Wow! Thank you for all of the reviews on the last chapter! (:

Well, as always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will review! (:

xoxo,

K.J


	6. Cut Off Words

The Bartender

* * *

Chapter Six

* * *

Max

* * *

"What was that little _Break-Time with Max and Fang _thing about earlier, and why is he sitting outside, seemingly waiting for something, or _someone_?" Ella asked as we cleaned the bar after closing.

"Iggy dumped me last night. He found out that Fang and I were friends and so he broke up with me. I stayed at Fang's last night and he pretty much made sure I didn't go crazy. Plus, you know Fang. He's flirty. And I don't see any reason why I can't be the same way now that I'm single," I explained, though I couldn't see a reason why I needed to explain myself.

"How about a bouquet of flowers from a probably incredibly hurt ex-boyfriend and brother?" Ella mumbled, sliding a bouquet of red roses down the bar toward me.

Dropping the rag I was holding onto the bar, I picked up the roses and opened the little card with _To Max _scrawled out on the front in Iggy's handwriting.

_Max, I'm sorry about how angry I got last night. Don't take this the wrong way and take it as me wanting to get back together with you. My trust in you is still shot, but I will always care about you. I really do hope we can stay friends? Or at least not enemies. Ig_

Thoughtful, no? No.

Those flowers took their second trip into the trash before I headed back outside to grab Fang and drive home.

"Hey, sorry, I took so long, I was being interrogated," I laughed slightly, walking with Fang toward my Jeep.

"No problem. Hey, Max, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Is whatever happened tonight just a one time deal, or what?"

Leave it to Fang to change something seemingly simple into a deadly situation.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see," I winked and walked ahead of him the rest of the way, stopping when I got to my Jeep.

"Ooh, that's unfair, Max. You know I don't do games!" Fang yelled, laughing to himself before he caught up with me, getting into the passenger side of the car once I unlocked it.

"Well, if you don't wanna play, you're welcome to get out of the car right now. If you do, though, let the games begin."

* * *

I have never, in my life, seen someone turn themselves around so much, so quickly.

Dissected meaning: Seven days ago, Fang said he hated games and didn't have any interest in chasing his tail for me. So, I left him on his own at his apartment driving back to my townhouse that I shared with my sister. Well, the next day, there he was at the bar, giving me a classic Fang Scott speech on why I should let him take me out on an actual date.

Oh, but what kind of girl would I be if I didn't give the boy a little hell before letting him take me out. Momma always said to make him work for it.

"Max! Can I get a bottle of beer down this end?" Ella called from her end of the bar as I spun around to get her what she asked for.

I slid the bottle down the bar, being completely oblivious to the man sitting down at my end of the bar with a very large, very unusual grin on his face.

"Well, hello, Mr. Scott," I smiled, reaching under the bar for the bottle of beer I knew Fang was going to ask for.

"Hello, Ms. Ride," Fang smiled back, taking his bottle and popping the top off of the bottle on the edge of the bar. "So, are you ready to give me your actual answer on whether or not you'll go out with me?"

"I already gave you that answer, darling," I shot back, giving him that fake smile I give when I _don't _really give.

"Max, I'm not going to get on my hands and knees and beg for you to go out with me. If you won't, then I'll just revert back to my old ways," Fang replied, taking a sip of his beer.

"Okay, have fun with your S.T.D's," I mumbled, half to myself, but still loud enough so he would hear it.

"What was that?" Fang asked, not in the way that meant he genuinely didn't hear me, but in the way that meant I had a second chance to change what I said. Not that I was going to.

"I said, have fun with your S.T.D's. Tell my Aunt Marian I said hi next time you see her," I snapped, using my aunt who worked at the town's free clinic to piss him off further.

"Well, if we're relaying messages, then why don't you tell my brother I said hi when you get home—oh wait. He won't be there."

Ignoring Fang, I turned to Ella and called, "Ells, go get the big guys. We've got an uncooperative customer."

About a minute later, the bar's two security guards, Randy and Louis, showed up behind me.

"Which one, Max?" Louis asked, placing his hand on my shoulder.

I nodded my head toward Fang and watched as Randy escorted him outside and gave him the general talking to that security always gave people they had to take outside.

"Thanks, Louis," I smiled, clearing off Fang's abandoned beer and tossing it under the bar.

"No problem, Max. Can I ask a question, though?"

"Sure," I replied as I wiped down part of the bar with a towel.

"Fang is your best friend and you just had him kicked out of the bar. What happened?"

Louis was one of my favorite bar employees and I really had no problem telling him things I wouldn't tell many other people.

"My boyfriend broke up with me last week, and he just happened to be Fang's younger brother. And Fang was making jokes about me being single again for the first time in years and so I decided it was better to get him out of here and kill him later than do it at work."

"I'll come visit you in jail," Louis laughed, squeezing my shoulder before heading back to the back room where he and Randy waited for problems.

* * *

The rest of work went by as normal as working at a bar could go, and the drive back to my destination went by silently. No music or beeping cars. Just the voice inside my head yelling at the person I was on my way to see.

When I got to Fang's apartment, I pulled my key out of my back pocket, as usual, and unlocked the door. See, there usually isn't a problem with my going into Fang's apartment unannounced because he's usually with me. However, when I heard a girl's voice coming from Fang's bedroom, I debated whether of not I should leave.

Unfortunately, anger clouded my senses and I stomped across the living room and threw Fang's door open.

Fang was sitting on his bed, by his bedside table, a cigarette dangling from his lips and a red-headed girl was sitting cross-legged on the other end of his bed.

"Max!" Fang yelped, the cigarette almost falling out of his mouth before he caught it.

"You," I pointed to Fang. "had better know a good doctor. You're gonna need it. And you," I pointed to the red-head. "get out. I don't know who you are, and I don't care to. You've got about fifteen seconds to get out before I get you out myself."

The red-head rose from the end of the bed, babbling as she did, "Well, I can see you two need to talk, so I'll just head out. Fang, call me?"

"Out!" I screamed, doing a fifteen second countdown in my head.

The red-head ran out of the room, shutting the door behind her just before I got to fifteen.

"You are so lucky all I had Randy do to you was bring you out of the bar! I could have done so much worse! Who the hell do you think you are talking about my relationship status?! Especially when it's _your _fault we broke up!" I began as Fang stood up from his bed, putting his cigarette out in an ash tray on his bedside table.

"My fault?! That's bull and you know it, Max! You could have told him at any point in the last three years, but you didn't! It wasn't my place to say anything! Furthermore, how dare you come into my apartment and order myself and Lissa around. You have absolutely no right to do that!"

"Well, honey, we are where we are! You deserve to have your ass whooped into shape! What that girl sees in you is beyond me!"

"Says the bartender talking about the med student. Oh, no, that makes so much fucking sense it's unreal," Fang retorted, stepping closer to me.

"Fang, I really suggest you don't speak to me like that. I'm not a punchi—"

No, I don't have a stutter or any sort of speech impediment, I was actually cut off by something. And that something would be Fang grabbing my arm and crushing himself against me, his lips somehow finding themselves on mine.

And I didn't push him away.

* * *

I have wanted to upload this chapter for so long! But I try to only update once a week. :P

Anyway, as always I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will review.

xoxo,

K.J


	7. Absolutely

_**The Bartender**_

* * *

Chapter Seven

* * *

_Iggy_

* * *

Usually, after breaking up with a girlfriend, I would go get drunk off my ass, and do nothing for about a week. Well, because my ex-girlfriend is a bartender at the only bar in town, that plan was shot to hell.

And that's how I wound up sitting in a cemetery, complaining to my parents' headstone about how much I hated their other son.

I know it sounds like it would be inappropriate to do, but seeing as I no longer had a brother to go to, or a girlfriend, my parents were the only people left.

And seeing as I was doing this at about eleven o'clock at night, I wasn't exactly expecting to see Max's sister, Nudge, come up behind me and kneel down next to me.

"Ella told me about what happened at the bar. I love my sister, but she is going to realize that she fucked up. I know you don't want her back, but I was wondering if, maybe, you'd consider going out to try out that new sushi restaurant in the city on Saturday? Max mentioned once that you like sushi and I figured you needed a little pick-me-up," Nudge asked, placing her hands on my shoulders, leaning her chin on one of her hands.

"Nudge I—," I began, and then realized that if I didn't say yes to this girl, I probably would lose her all together. "I'd love to."

If Max could move on to my brother I didn't see any reason I couldn't move on as well. And I promise it was just a coincidence that Nudge was Max's sister.

* * *

Max

"Why did you do that?" I asked, wiping my lips off with the back of my hand once Fang finally let me go.

"Because I needed to."

I swear, after that, any sense I had left was tossed out the window and into the bay behind the apartment building where Fang resided.

Why?

Well, because in my normal mindset, I never would have thrown myself at Fang, draped my arms around his neck and crushed my lips to his. However, in that moment, that's exactly what I did.

Fang tightened his arms around me and stepped forward, pressing my back flat against the wall beside his bedroom door.

Even though I knew Fang hated when anybody touched his hair, I couldn't help it. I slid my hand up the back of his neck and tangled my fingers into his thick, ebony colored hair.

Fang's right hand slid slightly up the back of my shirt, his nails digging into my lower back, almost enough to break the skin.

With his other hand, Fang lifted up one of my legs—his silent way of telling me to jump and wrap my legs around him, which is exactly what I did.

Fang and I had been quite experimental with each other back in senior year of high school, and had kissed quite a bit, but never went as far as to actually having sex.

Fang stepped back a few steps and dropped me down onto the right side of his bed—his side.

I laid back on his bed and grabbed the front of his shirt in my fist, pulling him down with me, locking his lips in another bruising kiss.

Leave it to Fang to speed things up in the most show-offy way possible. Kneeling up on his bed, ripping his shirt over his head and tossing it to the side before falling back down and kissing me once before moving to my neck, pushing his hands up my shirt and pulling it over my head.

"Max, are you sure about this?"

Without replying, I grasped tightly onto his neck and pulled him back to me, close enough to press his lips back to mine without letting any other part of his body touch mine.

* * *

"You did what?!" Nudge gasped, laughing between words once I came home from Fang's.

"I know, it sounds crazy. But I—I slept with Fang."

Nudge burst out laughing, gripping her sides as she doubled over.

Nudge and I were sitting in the kitchen of our townhouse, both working on our second bottles of beer as I told Nudge how my night went.

"But how did it happen? I'm not sure I understand how you got to that point," my sister asked, taking a swig from her bottle.

"We were screaming at each other. Probably the worst fight we've ever had. And you know Fang and I have had our fights. He's just so thick-headed and he doesn't know when to _shut up. _But anyway, we were screaming and yelling and in the middle of one of my sentences, he just kissed me. And I didn't wanna push him away. Am I crazy, Nudgey? He's my best friend _and _he's my ex's brother!"

At that, Nudge seemed to get uncomfortable and very quiet. Her bushy, curly brown hair fell over her eyes as she looked down at the bottle in front of her.

"Nudgey? You have that 'I have to tell you something' look going on. What's up?"

"Well... I can't really say you're crazy for screwing Fang. I'd be a slight hypocrite. I—I went and saw Iggy tonight. He was at his parents' grave and we got to talking and I kinda asked him if he wanted to go to the sushi restaurant that's opening up in the city with me. Maxi I'm so sorry. I know he's your ex and I'm your sister, but I just—," Nudge babbled, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

Without saying a word, I rose from the bar stool I was sitting in and walked around the island, coming face-to-face with my sister.

Nudge braced herself for the hit she could feel coming by closing her eyes and balling her hands into fists. All unnecessary.

All I did was wrapped my arms around her and hugged tightly.

Nudge was my sister and there was no way I would let a boy—not even my ex-boyfriend from a three year relationship—ruin that.

When Nudge realized that, she wrapped her arms around me and hugged back.

Ladies and gentlemen, a sisterly love moment.

"You're not mad?" Nudge asked once she pulled back from me, her big, chocolate brown eyes shining, glossed over with tears.

"I lost Iggy all on my own. If you can give him what I couldn't, then I owe you. Iggy is a wonderful man and I want you to be happy. I'm in a sticky situation with Fang—who wouldn't be after they have sex with their best friend?—and I want at least one of us to have a successful relationship. Nudgey, you're my sister—for all intents and purposes—and your happiness means a lot to me. And if he makes you happy, then I'm happy for you. I can't afford to lose my sister after a night like the one I just had," I laughed lightly, ruffling Nudge's curly mop of hair.

"I love you, Maxi," Nudge smiled, pulling me in to another hug.

"I love you too, Nudgey."

Once our hug ended, I took my place back at the counter and took another sip of my beer.

"Okay, so now that I got that off my chest, you still owe me a frame by frame explanation of what happened with Fang," Nudge smiled, leaning on the counter like she had been before.

* * *

"Max?" Fang asked once he opened his front door, a red toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.

"The one and only," I laughed slightly, "Can I come in?"

Fang's eyes widened as he pulled the toothbrush from his mouth, "Of course."

He stepped to the side and let me in before retreating back to the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth.

"Any particular reason you decided to drop by, Max?" Fang asked as he came out of his bathroom, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it into his bedroom, onto the floor, leaving him in a pair of low-slung basketball shorts and one sock.

"I wanted to see you, is that a crime?" I asked, laughing as I did, walking a little bit closer to him, toeing my shoes off and kicking them behind me.

"Definitely not. I was just surprised. Especially because it's so early for you to be awake," Fang gave me that million bucks smile he was oh-so good at, glancing at the clock on his stove which read 10:45 a.m.

"I didn't work a twelve hour last night. I only worked until one, and stayed up talking to Nudgey until two thirty, so I got more sleep than usual. And when I woke up, I was thinking about last night and I wanted to come see you. Sorry I didn't call beforehand," I apologized, stepping closer to him again, now only about a foot away from him.

"You don't have to apologize. Max, you have a key. You're welcome here no matter what. Just because last night happened, it's not gonna change the fact that you're my best friend. My best friend that I just happened to sleep with."

"Well, I was kind of hoping you'd be up for a repeat before I had to go to work...," I mumbled, embarrassed that I was even bringing it up.

Fang quirked a half-smile, closing the gap between us, placing his hands on my hips and leaning down to press his lips to mine.

"Absolutely."

* * *

Woop woop for Fax!

It's currently 12:18 a.m. and I couldn't wait ANY longer to update! Lol.

I wanted to get this chapter out sooooo badly!

Also, since I have no idea what to name this chapter, if you have any suggestions, PLEASE comment them and I'll pick the one I like the most and I'll change it, of course, giving the person who came up with it the credit either in this chapter or in the next. (:

xoxo,

K.J


	8. Playboys

_**The Bartender**_

* * *

Chapter Eight

* * *

Nudge

* * *

"So, you talked to Max?" Iggy asked as we sat at dinner, both in the midst of finishing a tray of California rolls.

"Yeah, she said that all she wanted was for you to be happy. And if I could give you what she couldn't, that's all she wanted. Plus, she's kind of moved on to a non-relationship kind of thing. She just wants us to be happy, because she is," I explained, sticking another California roll into my mouth.

"What do you mean non-relationship? Is she just sleeping with someone or what?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Do you know who?"

Oh, I was hoping he wouldn't ask that.

"It's Fang, Ig."

I could tell Iggy already knew, but was just trying to convince himself that his brother wasn't sleeping with his ex-girlfriend. I could tell Iggy was hurt by it as well, but he needed to be proud of Max for not moping around and acting like a sick puppy, but doing something that made her happy.

"Iggy, you still care about Max, right?"

"Of course I do. She was my girlfriend for three years. I still love her, but I'm not in love with her anymore. That kind of got shot to hell when I walked in on her pinned beneath my brother, but I still love her. I really want her to be happy, but I do wish she wasn't being happy with my brother," Iggy replied, taking a sip of the cherry Coke he had in front of him.

"Iggy, you're here with me, Max's sister. Don't you think you're being a little hypocritical here?"

"I guess, maybe. But Fang's my older brother—by fourteen minutes and nine seconds, and he never lets me forget it—and for once I just wish I could have something he didn't."

"You have me..." I mumbled, almost too quiet for him to hear it.

I only knew he heard it because a pearly white smile spread across his face, forcing him to miss his straw when he went to take another sip of his drink.

"I do, don't I?"

* * *

Max

"I really love that you're not working tonight. Because then I get you all to myself," Fang whispered, kissing my pulse point as we sat on his living room couch, completely ignoring the episode of _Grey's Anatomy_ that was on.

"Oh, really?" I asked, playfully, turning so I was facing him.

"Really," he mumbled, his hand cupping my neck, pulling me a little closer so he could kiss my lips.

After a few minutes of getting distracted by kissing Fang, I pulled back, leaving my arms around his neck.

"Fang, I'm gonna be honest with you. I've enjoyed the past few days with you, but I don't want to be in a relationship, and you don't want to be in a relationship, so what does that make us?"

"Casual," Fang replied easily, shrugging slightly.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, we see each other, but we see other people at the same time. No strings, no ties, just us having a little fun while still not giving up who we are."

"Sounds all well and good, but for tonight, you're mine," I whispered, leaning closer to him, pressing my lips to his, forcing him onto his back on the couch.

* * *

"Fang, where's my shirt?" I asked as I tugged my jeans onto my legs, looking around myself for the aforementioned shirt.

"Living room," he answered, taking another drag of the cigarettes he was smoking.

I rolled my eyes at the fact that not only was he smoking, but he was also just sitting in his bed, the comforter conveniently covering his lower half, as he'd neglected to get dressed.

I, however, had to go talk to Jeb about my schedule for the next week and didn't have that privilege.

"You might wanna slow down on the cigarettes. I'd like to keep you around for a while," I joked halfheartedly, leaving his bedroom to continue the hunt for my shirt.

I eventually found it hiding beneath the sofa in a pile next to a stack of... _colorful_ magazines that Fang must've been hiding to occupy himself with at a later date.

I quickly grabbed my shirt and pulled it over my head, heading back into Fang's room as I did.

"Ah, found your shirt, I see," Fang mused, lighting another cigarette.

"Yeah, next to a stack of Playboys. Classy, Fang," I laughed to myself, crawling onto the bed next to Fang, pulling my hair to one side, exposing my neck on the side closest to Fang.

"In my defense, at least half of those were Iggy's before mine. But he so generously passed them onto his big brother when he coincidentally got drafted and took up a very attractive blonde girlfriend and no longer needed them. And also to be fair, I haven't so much as touched those magazines in months... Never really needed to, if you get what I mean," Fang winked, sucking his cheeks in and taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Yes, Fang, I understand that you are an attractive twenty-four year old that has slept with more girls than graduated in our high school class, thank you. Frankly, my Aunt Marian is starting to get tired of waiting around for you to come in. But I guess its a good thing you're not a walking S.T.D considering our current situation."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean. Maybe you could show me?" Fang whispered, his voice smooth as silk as he slid down onto his back, laying his cigarette in the ashtray beside his bed.

"Did I not just show you about ten minutes ago? But I suppose if you _need _a refresher, I could do something about that," I breathed, leaning up to kiss his lips, resting a hand on his stomach (abs!) to steady myself.

After a few minutes, I could tell Fang had completely forgotten that I had to leave and also forgotten about his abandoned cigarette.

That being said, I pulled back from him, kneeling up on his bed about a foot away from him.

"I gotta go. Jeb's gonna be wondering where I am," I told him, jumping off his bed and pecking his cheek goodbye before trotting out of his bedroom, closing the door behind me.

I quickly threw my shoes on and grabbed my keys from the table beside Fang's front door before running out to my car and driving in the direction of the bar.

When I got there, I was happy to see that the bar was doing very well that night. Ella was working with one of our other tenders, Angel.

"Heya, Max!" Angel cheered when I walked in the front door, smiling brightly.

Angel had just turned twenty-one and was a new bartender, but she went to my high school, so I knew her prior to when she started working at the bar.

I smiled at her and weaved my way through the crowds of people dancing on each other and drinking toward Jeb's office in the back of the bar.

I knocked twice on the door before pushing back the door, closing it behind me.

"Thank you for coming in on such short notice, Max. I apologize if I interrupted anything by calling earlier," Jeb apologized as he sat at his desk, drumming the back of a pen on his calendar.

"Not at all. I'm always in the mood to talk about my work. How many hours am I working this week?"

"Almost sixty. And your day off is Thursday, as usual."

I nodded and smiled.

"Alright, well, you're free to go, Max. See you tomorrow for work."

I nodded again and stood up from the chair I'd been in and exited his office, again weaving my way through the throngs of people in the bar.

Now, I know Fang and I said we were going to keep it casual, and I know I agreed to it, but leaving Jeb's office and seeing him flirting with a brunette girl at the bar made my stomach turn. And yes, I could tell that Fang was definitely planning on taking that girl home because I'd known him long enough to tell.

* * *

Hello, my lovelies! (: So, this chapter was kind of interesting, I think. I liked writing this one. :P I think it was funny.

Anyway! I figured I would ask you guys another question, as the one in last week's upload actually got responses. I'm having trouble finding books to read and I really could use some help. Currently, I'm about half way finished with _Water for Elephants_ by Sara Gruen (And no! I haven't seen the movie yet! But I want to!) Please don't suggest something like _The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, or Maximum Ride, _as I've already read and re-read those many times. Please help!(:

Also, the name I chose for last week's chapter is "Absolutely", suggested by LoudNProud_._ So, thank you, doll, for coming up with that name! (:

xoxo,

K.J


	9. Author's Note

_Hey, everyone, okay, so I know I've been kind of Missing in Action for quite some time now and I'm truly very sorry for that but with school starting soon **(Thursday, September sixth) **I've been running around like crazy getting clothes and supplies, plus I've been trying to spend as much time as possible with my family and boyfriend, as being a Freshman comes with a lot of work and my boyfriend isn't going to be going to the same school as I am this year, which is unfortunate, but very good for him, and I am so very proud of him and everything he's done to get as far as he has. _

_ I'm also not trying to make excuses, though, that is what this is sounding like, and I'm sorry. _

_Because school is starting at the end of this week, I really can't promise I will be uploading weekly like I've tried to do all summer. I love what I do on here, and all of your support—yes, you reading this right now, your comment means the world to me—really does encourage me to continue writing, but school always has to come first for me, and I really hope you understand. _

_I am, by no means, saying I won't be posting on my fanfictions, because I will. I promise I will. But I really can't promise they'll be consistent. I can't promise to JennaMarbles it and post every week on a certain day, but I can say that I will try my hardest to post as often as I possibly can. _

_ As most of you know, my best friend and editor, Lindsey, goes to school with me, so when I get back into talking to her everyday and seeing her daily, I will probably be more inclined to write, as she always pushes me to write because she really believes in these works. _

_For now, I can't promise anything other than I will write as much as I can and I will try not to slack too much. _

_Thank you for understanding! _

_Xoxo,_

_K.J. _


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